The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-04-28
IN THE HEART OF AFRICA.
n GLIMPSE AT TIE DIARIES OF AN
EXPLORER OF THE CONGO.

house on Z street northwest is the home
Of Lieutenant Emory H. Taunt, of the
United States Navy, the African oxplor-
cr. Since 1885, when ho was sent to ex-
ploro the region of the Upper Congo
River in Africa, Lieutenant Taunt has
boon constantly on tho tramp through
the Dark Continent, searching for in
formation i'll regard to the country and
its inhabitants. The walls of tho par
lors Of his home in this city are covered
with interesting reminders of many
thrilling adventures among tho blacks,
tn the form of long, sharp spears, muir
dorous looking knives and various other
implements of warfare and domestic
use.
Not the least important among them
is long strung of human teeth, in the
ccntrc of which is small, roughly
shaped piece Of brass. This is q
"fctish, " and is supposed by hoiutenso-
! ~ suporstitious natives to be an infallible
charm against disease, pain or trouble
OF any kind. Another curiosity is q
! quccrly shaped knife cncascd in curious
looking skin, and having hilt, the end
of which is shaped like u mushroom. In
! one corner of the room there stands n
long and wide shiold of rattan wood. 1t
has history. In different places about
It's centre arc several bullet holes. The
| native who bore it was preparing to kill
Lieutenant Taunt, who had engaged
him in battle, when q bullet from one
ni @ fol l,
shield and went through the body Of the
savage warrior.
But by far the most interesting of all
arc the dinrics of Lieutenant Taunts
first year iii the land Of the blacks. A
Star reporter was permitted to read them
TIC OtlN2 night. They read like
rOmanCCS, ..nd arc filled with stories of
adventure AID huir-brcudth escapes from
the cnnuibalS.
The domestic habits Of The Congo ne
GroC&, a8 related by Ne. Taunt, are often
interesting aud moro often amusing
There is Il certain tribe who shavc8 their
heads, only leaving small tufts OF hair
IhcSr TUFTS arc arranged IN all SORTS Of
iAnt0SGc shapes and give to the wcarcr a
| very strange appearances. Then there is
the chief OF great and powerful tribe
i'll the vicinity OF Lc0pollvillo who
MAlc. his beard grow IL the sumo man
| nGr, and Ill appearance tt3 q Chinuman'S
piE-tall.
The muDncy OF hnrial among tie na-
tlvcs is very peculiar. Upon the death
OF Il chief the body is Hwuthrd in clothes
until 1t resembles 1t hUgShrud. Then the
head OF the body is shaved clean. The
body is 1T above ground in this state
nntil the hair grows out, when the re-
mains arc inferred in the ground.
While travelling up the Congo River
in the we'll known little steamer, the
Henry Reed, when about five days from
the equator, an exciting incident Oc-
CURED, OF which Mr.. Tnunt says: cat 2
p. III. We anchored III the narrow chan
nCl for the night. McSsrS Peterson and
I}llhnBton, with some ten boys, had
started in The small bOat, and us she
reached the shore large snake, about
eight feet long, apraug into the boat.
There was a shouting and yelling of
'miOca' (snako) and in five seconds the
snake had entire possession of the boat.
low to Kill him was now the problem.
We could not shoot without injury to
the boat. But finally, after an exciting
: fight OF ten minutes, the snake was dis
! patched by ono of the slaves" 1t was
spotted, black and white. The natives
sad that one bite from it was sure death.
fortunately no one remained in the boat
long enough after it entered to fct Bit
ten, and Lieutenant Taunt had not gone
Iii the boat, he having been detained on
the steamer.
Another incident rclotcd in the diary
is as follows: The boat had anchored at
II small town by the river Down on the
bank oil the river Il woman and Il boy
were fishing. Out in the shalOW parts
Of the river hidcouS looking crUcodilcs
could easily be seen disporting them
selves or sleeping on the sand bars
Close to where the woman and boy were
| fishing was Il largo crocodile who was
| quietly, every moment, approaching |
nearer and nearer Che fishers. His small |
eyes twinkICd, and every now and then |
he would turn his head slowly from side |
to SIDE to sec that nc WIS not observed |
Suddenly the people in the village heard |
II terrible shrek. The woman and boy
had been swept into water by stroke |
from the tail OF the monster Ihon he
seized the body of the woman, and, |
swimming slowly to the opposite bank
he laid it down and returned. Mean
while the boy, when he had recovered
from his fright, scrambled out upon the
bank, not waiting to yell or shrek, as
would have been expected Of M Amcr-
can child. He hastcncd off up tho bank
to where small canoe was anchored. |
Jumping into it, he padded hastily for
the place where the body Of his mother
| had been carried. Reaching it, nc put
the body into the boat and started for
the village. He had not gone far when
he heard shout from the village, and,
looking bohind him saw that he was be-
ing pursued by the 'Ircodilc who, after
leaving !ho woman, lad gone Off up the
river and rctIr""d Just i'll time to see his
prey carried oil by the canoe. The boy
padded with all his might and the
crocodile followed as last rs he could,
nor did he stop the pursuit until fright
encd oil by the canoes from the village
carrying men to the rescue of the boy.
The natives say that this creature will
always stow away prey, and go for its
mate to help cat the feast of flesh.
When about eighteen days journey
above Bangala, on the Congo, Licuten-
ant Taunt was Mortified at the sight Of
| the natives, HO saws that they had